Page 41 - Bihar

Nitish's decision to join NDA correct, taken for Bihar's development: Min

JD(U) president Nitish Kumar's decision to join the NDA is correct and taken at the right time for the development of Bihar, BJP ally and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said on Monday. Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volteface, ditching the 'Mahagathbandhan' and the opposition INDIA bloc, and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Talking to PTI, Athawale said the opposition terming Kumar as "Paltu Ram" (one who switches sides) is not justified. "Nitish Kumar's decision is correct and he has taken it at the right time for the development of Bihar. This is a challenge to the Congress," he said. "He has joined the NDA to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all welcome him," the RPI (A) chief said. On the opposition calling Kumar an opportunist, Athawale said, "He is not an opportunist but the Congress is." Kumar on Sunday had .

Speed dating by Nitish and why the BJP embraced him

It is quite likely that Kumar expects to benefit as member of the NDA from the religious fervour built by the inauguration of the Ram temple, Centre's welfare schemes and PM's larger-than-life persona

'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' to enter Bihar, brings Rahul to state after 2 yrs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will on Monday reach Bihar through Kishanganj, a district with a heavy Muslim population which is also a party stronghold. Gandhi's Bihar tour comes a day after the Congress was left high and dry with former ally Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister, making a return to the BJP-led NDA. This is Gandhi's first visit to Bihar since the assembly poll campaign of 2020. Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Kishanganj, followed by a big rally in the adjoining district of Purnea on Tuesday and another one in Katihar a day later, according to Congress legislature party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan. He will be leaving for West Bengal on Thursday via Araria district and will return to Bihar a few days later via Jharkhand, said state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh. According to leaders of the state Congress, the party's alliance partners in Bihar like RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(ML)-L general secretary Dipanka

Behind Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's switch: Caste play, Modi's outreach

Bihar CM, who returned to NDA fold, feared significant losses in Lok Sabha polls had he stayed with INDIA bloc

Nitish's Bihar switch: Tharoor takes dig with word of the day snollygoster

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday took a swipe at JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar over his latest volte-face in Bihar, posting what he said was the word of the day snollygoster, which means a shrewd and unprincipled politician. Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and staked claim to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. Tharoor shared his social media post from 2017 when Kumar had broken away from the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress and returned to the BJP despite being foes for a long time. "Word of the day! Definition of snollygoster US dialect: a shrewd, unprincipled politician. First Known Use: 1845. Most recent use: 26/7/17," Tharoor had tweeted in 2017. Tagging that post, the former Union minister said on Sunday in a post of X, " Didn't ...

We tolerated Nitish's Hindi push for cordiality in INDIA bloc: DMK leader

JD(U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said 'only Hindi should be spoken' and the party tolerated it for the sake of cordiality in INDIA alliance, DMK leader T R Baalu said here on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after holding seat sharing talks with Congress leaders here, Baalu, when asked on exit of Nitish Kumar from INDIA alliance said it appeared that right from the beginning he had 'some issues' and there would not be any electoral 'damage' due to his move. To a question about the 'Bihar Chief Minister's statement that nothing worked as per his plan in the INDIA bloc,' Baalu asked: "What did he plan? He did not spell out any plan, he said only Hindi should be spoken and only that (message) remains." Elaborating, Baalu, a Lok Sabha member said: "He (Nitish Kumar) said everyone should talk in Hindi. We tolerated it. Even then, we kept quiet, as a compromise, for the sake of cordiality in the alliance. It was said that English must not be spoken. This is an ordinary .

Happy to see formation of NDA govt in Bihar: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed delight on Sunday over the formation of the NDA government in Bihar. He wished the leadership success in steering Bihar towards "new heights of development and prosperity". "Happy to see the formation of NDA government in Bihar. Congratulations to Shri @NitishKumar Ji on assuming the role of Chief Minister, and my heartfelt greetings to Shri @samrat4bjp and Shri @VijayKrSinhaBih as they take the oath as Deputy Chief Ministers," Sarma wrote on X. JD(U) president Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after a dramatic volte-face, ditching the Mahagathbandhan' and the opposition bloc INDIA and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. The 72-year-old leader indicated that he was not feeling happy with the way things were in the Mahagathbandhan' in the state, as well as the INDIA bloc that he helped take shape, but which failed to adequately recognise his efforts. BJP ..

No question of going anywhere else now, leaving NDA-fold: Nitish Kumar

JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who took oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volte-face, asserted that there is now no question of him going anywhere else, leaving the NDA-fold. Kumar was sworn in by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan here, hours after he resigned from the post, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Grand Alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA. "I was with them (NDA) earlier, too. We went on different paths, but now we are together and will remain so... I came back to where I was (NDA), and now there is no question of going anywhere else, the 72-year-old leader told reporters after taking oath as the CM. He said a total of eight people took oath on Sunday as ministers, and names of the remaining ones will be decided soon. BJP leaders - Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha - will be the deputy chief ministers, Kumar said. Kumar also said he was committed to the development of Bi

Meet Vijay Kumar Sinha, a versatile and an experienced BJP leader

An experienced upper-caste BJP leader, Vijay Kumar Sinha has held posts as varied as the Bihar Assembly Speaker, a cabinet minister and Leader of the Opposition. Sinha, 64, was elected the deputy leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday, and with this elevation, he is likely to become one of the two deputy CMs in the new NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar. Born to a school teacher in Lakhisarai district, he is enjoying his third consecutive term in the assembly from the eponymous constituency. Sinha, who belongs to the influential Bhumihar community, was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS' student wing, while pursuing a diploma course in civil engineering at a polytechnic in Barauni. Starting off as a grassroots BJP worker, Sinha made his debut in the assembly in 2010 and got a ministerial berth seven years later, when he was given the crucial labour resources department. Seen as a mature leader, he was chosen by the BJP for the job of the ..

Meet Samrat Choudhary, OBC leader whose stock rose rapidly upon joining BJP

An OBC leader of the BJP in Bihar where the party wants to transcend its "pro-upper caste" image, Samrat Choudhary has had a meteoric rise since he joined the outfit nearly seven years ago. Choudhary was elected the leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday, and with this elevation, he is likely to become one of the two deputy CMs in the new NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar. His father, Shakuni Choudhary was an army man-turned-politician who started off in the Congress, and frequently switched allegiance between arch-rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. Samrat was a minister in the government headed by Rabri Devi, the RJD supremo's wife, and remained with the party for quite a while after it was ousted from power in 2005. In 2014, he became part of a rebel faction and joined the JD(U) government headed by Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had taken over after Kumar had stepped down. Three years later, he grew disenchanted with the JD(U) and joined the BJP, which recognised his potentia

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar chief minister for record ninth time

BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha take oath as ministers in Nitish Kumar-led government

NDA govt in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for state's development: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that the newly sworn-in NDA government in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for the state's development and to fulfil people's aspirations, as he congratulated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his two deputies on taking oath. In a post on X, Modi said he is confident that the new government in Bihar will serve the people with full dedication. Hours after resigning as chief minister and breaking ties with the INDIA bloc, Kumar took oath of the same office for the ninth time as the BJP extended its support to him. BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha took oath as deputy chief ministers, along with several ministers.

Nitish a 'chameleon', 'expert' of betrayal: Congress after his resignation

The Congress on Sunday called Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar a "chameleon" and said the people of the state will never forgive this "expert" of betrayal and those making him dance to their tunes. The party was reacting to Kumar's decision to resign as the chief minister of Bihar and leaving the 'Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)' in the state while also dealing a body blow to the opposition bloc INDIA. Kumar had joined the 'Mahagathbandhan' in August 2022, when he had snapped ties with the BJP, accusing it of trying to "split" his Janata Dal (United). He had formed a new government with a multi-party coalition that included the RJD, the Congress and three Left parties. Dubbing him as "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram", the Congress said there are many people like him in the country. The expression was used widely in politics in the 90s referring to the frequent floor-crossing and switching of parties. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said they already knew about Kumar'

Nitish Kumar's exit from Mahagathbandhan 'gain' for INDIA bloc, says DMK

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit from the Mahagathbandhan alliance and consequently the INDIA bloc to align with the BJP is a "loss" for the Saffron party and a "gain" for the opposition alliance, Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK said on Sunday. Reacting to Janata Dal (United) President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's move, which is being seen as a body blow to the INDIA alliance, DMK spokesperson J Constandine Ravindran said, "People will never accept this act of betrayal." Ravindran told PTI: "Though Kumar is a veteran leader in Bihar, he has completely lost credibility. He has no integrity. Integrity and credibility are very important for a leader." Furthermore, he said: "Nitish Kumar leaving the INDIA bloc is a gain for us (opposition alliance) and it is a loss for the BJP. People will teach a lesson to Nitish Kumar at the right time." The JD(U) chief is shifting loyalties for the fifth time, Ravindran said, adding that Kumar had joined the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar only in ...

Akhilesh presented alliance model to counter BJP, others should follow: SP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has presented an alliance model to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and others should follow, a spokesperson of his party said on Sunday after JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the chief minister of Bihar. Kumar, who is likely to form a new government in Bihar with the BJP's support, told reporters in Patna that "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA. Reacting to the development, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ameeq Jamei said, "The elections that are going to be held are for saving our secular democracy. Our party leader Akhilesh Yadav has presented a model by announcing seat-sharing with the Congress and RLD." "A second round of talks with the Congress is on. Everyone should follow this to remove the BJP (from power)," he said. Yadav on Saturday announced that his party's alliance with the Congress was "off to a good start" with 11 "strong

Reached seat-sharing understanding with some INDIA bloc partners: Kharge

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said his party has held talks with all alliance partners of INDIA bloc on seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and reached an understanding with some of them, while the dialogue with others is at the final stages. He said the Congress has already begun preparation for the Lok Sabha polls with the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by party leader Rahul Gandhi and his own visit to various places across the country. "Our party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is going on. I have also visited Telangana, and will be travelling to Dehradun, Odisha, Bihar, Delhi, Kerala and other places. Dates have been fixed for my visits and Rahul Gandhi will also come to a few places. We have already started our preparations. It is our party work and programme, we will do, it should not be compared with other parties," Kharge told reporters here. On seat sharing with alliance partners, he said he has constituted a six-member committee headed by

Garbage goes into dustbin: Lalu's daughter Rohini amid political upheaval

In an apparent dig at JD(U) president Nitish Kumar who resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya on Sunday said the "garbage has gone into the dustbin". Kumar resigned as the chief minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA. "Garbage goes back into the dustbin. Happy stinking garbage to the group", Acharya posted on 'X'. Earlier on Thursday too she had posted controversial remarks and later deleted. Later, the RJD had claimed that Acharya's social media posts were aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. "Comments made in another context are withdrawn when vested interests use these for political purposes," an RJD leader had told reporters when asked about the deleted posts on X, in which Acharya, who is based in Singapore, had mentioned no leader by name. Screenshots of the deleted posts, in

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to tender resignation by Sunday morning: Report

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the Mahagathbandhan' government, is likely to tender his resignation by Sunday morning, a source close to the CM said on Saturday. Talking to PTI, the source, who requested anonymity, said though the possibility of resignation by late Saturday evening could not be ruled out, "it would definitely take place by Sunday morning". He also said prior to putting in his papers, Kumar, the JD(U) president, will hold a customary meeting of the legislature party. The source said government offices like the secretariat have been asked to remain open on Sunday "in view of hectic activity expected during the day", which may see a new government with the BJP's support. Meanwhile, at a party meeting, state BJP leaders stopped short of making a formal announcement of support to the JD(U) chief in the event of his pulling out of the Mahagathbandhan'. Requesting anonymity, BJP sources said instructions have been received from the top leadership to put on

Railways land-for-job case: Court summons Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti

A Delhi Court on Saturday summoned former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and her daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav along with others after taking cognisance of an Enforcement Directorate charge sheet against them in the railways land-for-jobs linked money laundering case. Special Judge Vishal directed the accused to appear before the court on February 9, saying there were sufficient grounds to proceed in the matter. The judge also issued a production warrant against businessman Amit Katyal, who is presently in judicial custody in the case. An alleged "close associate" of the Yadav family Katyal (49), railway employee and alleged beneficiary Hridayanand Chaudhary, two firms A K Infosystems Pvt. Ltd. and A B Exports Pvt. Ltd., through their common director Shariqul Bari, have also been named in the charge sheet. Katyal was arrested in this case by the ED in November last year while former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav was summoned by the agency but is yet to ...

BJP meeting underway in Bihar as political uncertainty in state continues

Leaders of the BJP in Bihar gathered here on Saturday to discuss the political situation in the state, amid indications that former ally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was planning yet another volte face. We have come here to deliberate on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The current situation in Bihar will also be taken up for discussion, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary told reporters ahead of the party meeting at its Veerchand Patel Marg office. The meeting is also being attended by the party's MPs. The BJP has the largest number of 17 MPs in Bihar, where the total number of Lok Sabha members is 40. The JD(U), headed by Kumar, has 16 while another NDA ally LJP, now split up between the uncle-nephew duo of Pashupati Kumar Paras and Chirag Paswan, has six. Earlier, the party's state in-charge Vinod Tawde had slammed the Congress for driving Kumar, the JD(U) president, towards a break up with the INDIA coalition of which he was widely regarded as the architect. Party leaders have s